Vibratory conveyors for conveying material up an inclined path have been known and used for many years. In the usual type inclined vibratory conveyor, it was not generally possible to convey material up an incline of more than 8.degree. to the horizontal. The material conveyed is moved ahead along the trough by a series of gentle throws and catches created by a controlled linear motion produced by the eccentric drive and stabilized by the stabilizer links. The material is thus conveyed from one end of the trough to the other by the conveying action. For most of the travel the material is airborne, striking the material carrying surface only long enough to be relaunched into the air in the direction of the discharge end of the conveyor. The vibratory conveying action has been used not only for conveying material or parts from one end of the trough to the other but can simultaneously perform other functions such as the removal of sand from castings because of the jarring or impacting nature of the vibratory conveying motion. An example of an apparatus of the type described may be found in the Musschoot patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,861.
As can be visualized, limitation on the angle of incline up which the material may be conveyed, is created somewhat by the size of the throw of the conveying action. That is, if the incline is steeper than the height of the throw, the material will not advance up the incline, but will remain stationary relative to the trough or may even move in the opposite direction.
There are many jobs where floor space is limited so that a long gradual incline for moving material or parts from one level to another is not possible. Many of the jobs also require that the parts be oriented when they arrive at the higher level. Current conveying systems are deficient in one or the other or both requirements, or if they are tailored to do the job, they are expensive to build and to maintain.